The Christmas Star of December 21, 2020: The Sign of the Son of Man in the Heavens? (original) (raw)
Related papers
The Star of Bethlehem and the Birth of Christ
2021
This paper reviews various scriptural accounts including the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, John, and the Book of Revelation to identify key verses related to the birth of Christ and correlates the celestial sequence of events, or the “celestial chronology” of the Star of Bethlehem (Jupiter) with scripture. Planetarium software was utilized to identify these celestial events, comparing them to the scriptural narrative. Our findings show an incredible correlation leading to the conclusion that the Star of Bethlehem, one of the signs promised by God in Genesis 1:14, was a real, celestial occurrence and that the Bible, when coupled with the scientific astronomical records, provides an accurate, historical account of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth on 17 June 2 BC.
The Star of Bethlehem: Signs in the East and a Surprise in the West (Full text) Nov. 2019
2019
The biblical account of the wise men and the star that announced the coming of the Messiah of Israel has inspired and puzzled people for two millennia. Important aspects of Babylonian astronomy seem to be involved in understanding the star’s appearing. But in addition, this short book also explores the men and events from a profoundly Jewish perspective. The traditional Jewish names of stars and planets, Jewish symbols, as well as Jewish dates, all seem to be keys to unlocking the mystery of the famous star.
There is a false astrology, condemned by the Bible (e.g. Deuteronomy 18:10-12; cf. Leviticus 19:26; Isaiah 47:13-14; Jeremiah 10:2), and a true astrology based on God’s structural design - from the beginning - of the heavenly bodies for “signs and seasons” (Genesis 1:14).
Every year at the spring equinox the nation of Iran celebrates Nowruz (Nōrūz, Nō Rūz, or Nō-Rūz). Nowruz is not only the first day of the new year on the Iranian calendar, but also marks the first day of spring-a time in both ancient and modern Iran that represents the rebirth of nature, and the victory of light over darkness, or good over evil. This paper focuses on the importance of the spring equinox in the Zoroastrian religion and its relationship to the Nativity. This is an area that is greatly underrepresented by modern Star of Bethlehem theologians. Johannes Kepler was among the first to suggest that the Star was related to a planetary conjunction. However, several readings from Zoroastrian and Judeo-Christian texts indicate that the Star was an unknown and unpredicted celestial object-signifying that the Magi did not know exactly what to search for, or that it was a predictable event. This rules out planetary conjunctions that are predictable and considered malevolent in Zoroastrian texts. Despite the overwhelming evidence from primary sources, modern theologians continue to neglect ancient texts to produce their own biblical interpretations of scripture. It is not just science that is often overlooked by theologians, but quite often important religious scriptures. This is a study of what is wrong, and how to find better ways to conduct research in the future that brings science and religion together to provide answers to the Nativity. I. Recent Star of Bethlehem Trends In 1604, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) witnessed a supernova-an extremely bright, new star that appears suddenly and without warning in the sky, only to fade away after a few months. A year later, a thesis by Laurentius Suslyga, a Polish Jesuit and academic, demonstrated that scholars
Ancient cosmologies and modern prophets, edited by Ivan Šprajc and Peter Pehani, 443-456. Ljubljana, Slovene: Slovene Anthropological Society, 2013., 2013
A considerable amount of the research into the 'Star of Bethlehem' has assumed that it was a unique celestial event. Such an approach, however, has overlooked the possible celestial information contained in the other features of both nativities of the gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke. This paper considers these other attributes. It adopts an archaeoastronomical and astrological approach to both narratives using the sky for the period of 07-06 B.C.E. as a primary document, as well as the Mesopotamian and Hellenistic astrological literature of the time. In the case of the Matthean pericope - the stories in Matthew's gospel - this approach suggests that the Star of Bethlehem is the title of a story rather than a single bright apparition. In the case of Luke's pericope it reveals that the attributes of the shepherds, angel, and the notion of a manger or a place for animals can be viewed as a Mesopotamian-influenced sky-watching discourse.
Orion: the Star Gospel Symbol for Many Bible Heroes
2007
As already shown, Virgo and her decans represent many Bible families such as Adam, Eve, Abel, and Seth; Abraham, Sarah, Ishmael, and Isaac; Isaac, Rebecca, Esau, and Jacob; Jacob, Rachel, and Joseph; and Joseph, Miriam, and Yahshua. Doubtless, there are still other connections between Virgo and various Bible characters that aren’t apparent to me now, but will be upon further study. In fact, this is likely true for many of the constellations in the Star Gospel. One of these is Orion, a decan of Taurus, the Bull. Let me show you how complex this constellation’s meaning can become when the Bible is used to decipher it.
Two Days of Brightness and the Stars of Christ's Birth
2021
While the Book of Mormon recounts a variety of miracles, two miraculous events have special significance, the illuminated night and associated signs and wonders and the appearance of a new star in Mesoamerica previous to the birth of Christ, and the darkness and destruction which occurred upon his death. In a previous work, The Geology of the Book of Mormon, I elucidated a scientific explanation of the destruction, here I will provide the most likely scientific explanation for the illuminated night and signs and wonders. Also established is the correlation of the day of Christ’s birth with a solar eclipse, seen both in Mesoamerica and Mesopotamia, and the Old World astrological calculation used by the Magi of the day of Christ’s birth, together with a planetary Bethlehem Star and a separate Mesoamerican new star as a comet. Exact dates are then determined for Christ’s birth and death based on this astronomical information and information from the Book of Mormon and associated information.
Methodology of astrology on the example of the phenomenon of the Star of Bethlehem
Western Europe since the Middle Ages, astrology has always fought for the right to be an academic science. There were periods of success when astrology was taught at universities (Cambridge, Bologna, etc.), but there were periods of disgrace. The reasons for such fluctuations are uneasy relations: first of all, relations, which formed between astrology and theology, and then, between astrology and natural sciences. Through the prism of these difficulties, we will observe the views of modern scientists on astrological ideas. And the biblical story of the ancient magi who came to greet the birth of the Messiah can serve as a vivid example for that. We will consider one of the latest hypotheses expressed by the scientist Michael R. Molnar (formerly an astronomer at Rutgers University, New Jersey) in his book, «The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi» (1999). And also get acquainted with the comments to it, which have made at the interdisciplinary colloquium in the University of Groningen, «The Star of Bethlehem: Historical and Astronomical Perspectives» (2014). Proceeding from this, we will distinguish the features of astrological approaches, which make astrology rather complicated for superficial familiarization, but deep enough for scientific research. Also, we will try to assess the relevance of the astrology ideas during crisis of scientific paradigms.